Vanderbilt rallies to beat Georgia, clinch series

ATHENS, Ga. – Top-ranked Vanderbilt fell behind early but a steady offensive attack led to a series-clinching 11-7 win over Georgia on Saturday afternoon at Foley Field.

Georgia (18-14, 5-6 SEC) was in control through the first three innings, scoring three runs off Vanderbilt starter Walker Buehler. And Georgia starter Ryan Lawlor struck out eight of the first 11 batters he faced.

But in the fourth, Vanderbilt (26-6, 9-2) took over with the first five batters reaching base.

Dansby Swanson led off with a walk and was followed by a Zander Wiel single and Bryan Reynolds' walk to load the bases. Will Toffey's single put the Commodores on the board, and Tyler Campbell's two-run single down the left-field line tied the score. Jason Delay delivered the lead with a sacrifice fly, and the Commodores never trailed again.

Vanderbilt put the game away in the seventh with another four-run inning, again with the first five batters reaching base. Wiel and Reynolds each pushed runs across, but it was Campbell again coming through with a two-out, two-run single to center to cap the rally. Campbell finished 2-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs.

The Commodores' 11 runs mark the eighth time this season the team has scored at least 10 runs and the second time in the past five games it has done so.

Buehler (3-0) allowed four runs, all earned, on nine hits with two strikeouts and two walks. After allowing three runs in the first three innings, he allowed only one hit over the next three.

The series concludes at 11 a.m. Sunday. Jordan Sheffield will start for Vanderbilt and face Georgia lefty Jared Walsh.